Sonia, Advani, V P Singh pay tributes to Kanshi Ram

New Delhi, Oct 9 (UNI) Leaders from across the political spectrum today thronged the 11, Humayun Road residence of Bahujan Samaj Party party chief Mayawati to pay their last respects to the founder of the party and the 'messiah of the dalits' Kanshi Ram who breathed his last in the early hours today.

Prominent among those who visited the residence of Ms Mayawati where Mr Kanshi Ram had been living after a long spell in hospital were Congress President Sonia Gandhi, her son Rahul Gandhi, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Union Chemical and Fertilizers Minister Ramvilas Paswan, Union Railways Minister Lalu Prasad, Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, former Prime Minister V P Singh, BJP leaders L K Advani, Arun Jaitley, Kalraj Mishra and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and JD(U) leader George Fernandes.

Mrs Gandhi, who came along with son Rahul Gandhi MP and Union Home Minister Patil, spent some time at Mayawati's residence.

Mr Advani, whose party BJP ran a short-lived government with BSP in Uttar Pradesh, also laid a wreath on the body. The opposition leader also credited Kanshi Ram with making the BSP a national party. Union Chemical and Fertilizers Minister Ramvilas Paswan, who did not share a cordial relationship with BSP leadership, called the departed leader a 'dalit messiah' who cared for the poor people.

Railway Minister Lalu Prasad said the country has lost a "great leader" who inspired dalits to lead a respectful life.

As soon as the news of Kanshi Ram's death came, hundreds of BSP workers, leaders and party MPs gathered outside 11, Himayun Road to pay their respects to the departed leader.

The two sisters of the BSP supremo also reached 11, Humayun Road in the morning.

A group of Buddhist monks also paid their tributes to the founder of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

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